“What happens if stitches aren't removed?”
I am a 42 year old male. I want to know what happens if stitches aren't removed?
6 Answers
Surgeonsurgeon
If left for too long (>10-14 days) they can leave a train-tracking scar pattern on the skin. They will eventually lead to additional tissue if left for an extensive period of time as a chronic inflammatory response develops against the suture material.
They will become ulcers in your skin, get infected, and hurt a whole lot more to have them removed.
Depending on the type of stitches utilized by the surgeon, failure to remove stitches in timely manner could lead to infection of surgical site.
Some stitches are intentionally not removed because they are designed to dissolve over time. Other stitches that do not dissolve must be removed. When this type is not removed in a timely fashion, the skin will begin to grow over the suture material, which then becomes embedded, creating a potential nidus for infection.
External stitches have to be removed eventually. The body treats it as a foreign body and that cause problems, such as, abscesses.
If your stitches aren't removed, over time the body will reject them as they are a foreign body. Your skin will eventually work them out. This process can take a while though, so it is better to have your surgeon remove them for you when appropriate.
